Maple Syrup Makers Hopeful in 2013

3/13/2013 (Updated 11:01:02 PM)

Although many hope the ground hog will predict an early spring, Michael Blachek hopes for six more weeks of winter.

"40 (degrees) in the day time for about seven-eight hours.  Then drop down to freezing by midnight go down to the mid 20s," said Michael Blachek, maple syrup maker at Syrup Creek Maple Farm.

Four years ago, Blachek decided to commercialize a family past time- establishing Sugar Creek Maple Farm and making maple syrup.

"We take pizza down, play cards, put the wood in the fire and keep boiling and boiling," said Blachek.

On land that has been in his wife's family for six generations, Blacheck has installed 280 taps and hopes to make 70 gallons of syrup this year.

"You take sap from the tree, it comes out naturally.  You add heat, take away the water and what's left is maple syrup," said Blacheck.

And there's plenty of activity just a few miles away, at Nappy Farms in Johnson City.  Here, Dan Napierala hopes to produce a few hundred gallons of syrup between January and April--but that would require the perfect temperatures..

"Continual warm weather, the sap will stop.  We need that freeze, thaw cycle at almost a daily basis to keep up in production," said Dan Napierala, maple syrup maker at Nappy Farms.

Napierala has about 2,000 taps on his family farm.  H says last years warm weather cut his syrup production in half.  While Napierala says it' too early to tell how he will fair this year, Bachek is remaining optimistic.

"This year it's been more--I would call it a classical year.  Since January it's been cold.  We had a little warm spell in January, we made some syrup.  Now, March-- freezing and thawing--it should be a pretty good year," said Napierala.

Ali Warner Fox 40 HD News.



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